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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Executive Summary Overview
Summary of Costs and Savings by Recommendation (Exhibit 4)

In September 2002, Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn began a review of the Brownsville Independent School District (BISD) at the request of the BISD Board of Trustees, who agreed to pay 25 percent of the cost of the review. Based upon more than five months of work, this report identifies BISD's exemplary programs and suggests concrete ways to improve district operations. If fully implemented, the Comptroller's 101 recommendations could result in net savings of nearly $40.9 million over the next five years.

Improving The Texas School Performance Review

Soon after taking office in January 1999, Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn consulted school district officials, parents and teachers from across Texas and carefully examined past reviews and progress reports to make TSPR more valuable to the state's school districts. With the perspective of a former teacher and school board president, the Comptroller has vowed to use TSPR to increase local school districts' accountability to the communities they serve.

Recognizing that only 51 cents of every education dollar is spent on instruction, Comptroller Strayhorn's goal is to drive more of every education dollar directly into the classroom. Comptroller Strayhorn also has ordered TSPR staff to share best practices and exemplary programs quickly and systematically with all the state's school districts and with anyone else who requests such information. Comptroller Strayhorn has directed TSPR to serve as a clearinghouse of the best ideas in Texas public education.

Under Comptroller Strayhorn's approach, consultants and the TSPR team will work with districts to:

  • Ensure students and teachers receive the support and resources necessary to succeed;
  • Identify innovative ways to address the district's core management challenges;
  • Ensure administrative duties are performed efficiently, without duplication, and in a way that fosters education;
  • Develop strategies to ensure the district's processes and programs are continuously assessed and improved;
  • Challenge any process, procedure, program or policy that impedes instruction and recommend ways to reduce or eliminate obstacles; and
  • Put goods and services to the "Yellow Pages Test": government should do no job if a business in the Yellow Pages can do that job better and at a lower cost.

Finally, Comptroller Strayhorn has opened her door to Texans who share her optimism about the potential for public education. Suggestions to improve Texas schools or the school reviews are welcome at any time. The Comptroller believes public schools deserve all the attention and assistance they can get.

For more information, contact TSPR by calling toll-free 1-800-531-5441, extension 5-3676, or see the Comptroller's Website at www.window.state.tx.us .

TSPR In Brownsville ISD

On April 9, 2002 the Brownsville Independent School District (BISD) board voted to request a Texas School Performance Review (TSPR) and to pay 25 percent of the $350,000 cost.

Comptroller Strayhorn selected Brownsville for a review in April 2002 and onsite work began in September 2002. Through a competitive bidding process, the Comptroller's office selected Gibson Consulting Group, an Austin based firm, to assist the agency with the review. The review team interviewed district employees, school board members, parents, business leaders and community members and held five public forums at each of the five high schools on September 3, 4 and 5, 2002 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Under a different Comptroller, TSPR reviewed BISD in 1994. The report contained 143 recommendations with projected gross savings of more than $23 million over five years and proposed more than $4.5 million in reinvestments to improve the district's educational services and other operations. In 1995 a progress report showed that BISD had implemented 138 of the 143 recommendations. In all, 97 percent of the recommendations were implemented and the district reported saving more than $3.3 million.

To obtain additional comments, the review team conducted nine focus group sessions with teachers, principals, parents and community members. To ensure that all stakeholder groups had input, TSPR also sent surveys to students, parents, teachers, campus and central administrators and support staff.

A total of 1,223 respondents answered surveys. One hundred forty-eight administrative and support staff;23 principals and assistant principals; 158 teachers; 276 parents and 618 students completed written surveys as part of the review. While these surveys were not scientifically administered, the results are included here to show the general opinion of those responding. Details from the surveys and public forums appear in Appendices A through F.

The review team also consulted two databases of comparative educational information maintained by the Texas Education Agency (TEA)-the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) and the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS).

BISD selected peer districts for comparisons based on similarities in student enrollment, student performance and community and student demographics. The selected peer districts were Corpus Christi, Laredo, North East, Plano and Ysleta ISDs. TSPR also compared BISD to district averages in TEA's Regional Education Service Center I (Region 1), to which BISD belongs, and to the state as a whole.

In May 2002, the district's board changed membership and current officers assumed their respective positions. On June 6, 2002, after the suspension of Dr. Noe Sauceda, the board appointed Johnny I. Pineda as interim superintendent. Findings in this report are based on data that pertains to events and situations that occurred over a period of time. Therefore, efforts have been made to identify and reference whether events and situations pertain to the former or current administration. Because surveys were distributed in August 2002, responses may be directed toward either the former or current administration or board.

During its five-month review, TSPR developed 101 recommendations to improve operations and save taxpayers more than $49.1million by 2007-08. Cumulative net savings from all recommendations (savings minus recommended investments or expenditures) could reach nearly $40.9 million by 2007-08.

A detailed list of costs and savings by recommendation appears in Exhibit 4. Many TSPR recommendations would not have a direct fiscal impact, but would improve the district's overall operations.

Brownsville ISD

The Brownsville Independent School District (BISD) is the 18th largest school district in the state, serving more than 42,500 students in 50 schools, including five high schools, 10 middle schools, 32 elementary schools and three alternative schools. The district is located within Cameron County in the city of Brownsville, the state's southernmost city, which is on the Mexican border. The city is 25 miles from the Gulf of Mexico and is within minutes of South Padre Island, a popular resort island. In spite of a growing economy and employment opportunities, Brownsville has a low per capita income, with more than half of the households earning less than $25,000 per year. Almost 90 percent of the city's population over age 5 speaks a language other than English.

Students are 97.6 percent Hispanic, 2.0 percent Anglo, 0.1 percent African American and 0.2 percent Asian/Pacific Islander. Teachers are 81.3 percent Hispanic, 18.1 percent Anglo, 0.2 percent African American and 0.4 percent other. About 92.8 percent of BISD students are economically disadvantaged.

While BISD was rated by TEA in 2001-02 as an Academically Acceptable district and has no low performing schools, pass rates lag more than 7 percentage points behind the state average; 74.8 percent of all students are passing the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) as compared to a statewide average of 82.1 percent and a regional average of 77.9 percent.

Exhibit 1 details the demographic characteristics of BISD and its peer school districts.

Exhibit 1
Demographic Characteristics of BISD,
Peer School Districts , Region 1 and State
2001-02
    Racial/Ethnic Percent    
District Student
Enrollment 		African
American 		Hispanic Anglo Other Economically
Disadvantaged 		Limited
English
Proficiency
Brownsville 42,541 0.1% 97.7% 2.0% 0.3% 92.8% 43.8%
Corpus Christi 39,383 5.6% 71.8% 21.2% 1.4% 56.8% 8.0%
Laredo 23,188 0.1% 99.0% 0.8% 0.1% 96.2% 58.9%
North East 53,030 9.6% 39.5% 48.0% 2.8% 35.0% 3.9%
Plano 48,944 7.7% 10.9% 66.7% 14.8% 10.4% 8.6%
Ysleta 46,742 2.3% 88.8% 8.0% 1.0% 77.9% 24.6%
Region 1 314,566 0.2% 95.9% 3.5% 0.4% 84.5% N/A
State 4,146,653 14.4% 41.7% 40.9% 2.8% 50.5% N/A
Source: Texas Education Agency (TEA), Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS), 2001-02.

BISD served 42,541 students during 2001-02, an increase of 5.5 percent over the last five years (Exhibit 2).

Exhibit 2
BISD Student Enrollment History
School
Year 		Actual
Student
Enrollment 		Percent
Change from
1997-98
1997-98 40,324 NA
1998-99 40,262 (0.15%)
1999-2000 40,195 (0.32%)
2000-01 40,898 1.42%
2001-02 42,541 5.50%
Source: TEA, Academic Excellence Indicator Systems, 1997-98 through 2001-02.

The district has more than 6,500 full-time employees; slightly more than 44 percent are teachers. The district's 2001-02 budget was $323.7million, an increase of 15.9 percent over the 2000-01 annual budget of $279.2 million. BISD spent 47.5 cents of every dollar on instruction in 2001-02, which is almost 7 percent lower than the 51-cent state average.

BISD is a property-poor district, ranking within the lowest 6 percent of school districts in the state. BISD's 2001 tax rate was $1.466 per $100 value; $1.428 for Maintenance and Operations and $0.038 for debt service. In 2001-02, BISD's property value was $67,201 per student, compared to the state average of $234,607 per student.

While TSPR found many exemplary programs and practices being carried out by dedicated and hardworking employees of the district, the district is facing a number of challenges including:

  • Stabilizing governance;
  • Strengthening controls over purchasing;
  • Reorganizing the management structure to focus on instruction;
  • Controlling staffing levels; and
  • Improving the budget and operational processes.

Key Findings and Recommendations

Stabilize Governance

Ensure that all board members understand their roles and responsibilities, and those of district management by developing operating procedures and a self-monitoring system. Conflicts among board members and between the board majority and the former superintendent have contributed to an atmosphere of distrust in the administration of the district. Since 1991 there have been seven superintendents and an internal management team, resulting in instability in district management. Some employees have had their main duties taken away and many employees are uncertain of their future with the district. Developing a board code of conduct that identifies board roles and responsibilities and instituting a self-monitoring system, will enable the board to more effectively focus its attention on the education of BISD students.

Eliminate all board committees and establish a Committee of the Whole to hear pertinent issues. The district has a large number of board committees that are sometimes taking action or controlling issues without the consent of the board as a whole. Even though some of the committees have employees or community leaders as members, school board committee members have the ability to control an issue before it gets presented to the entire board for consideration. Replacing standing committees with a Committee of the Whole will allow decisions to be made by the entire board and not just a few board members serving on committees.

Strengthen Controls Over Purchasing

Develop and implement purchasing procedures that include a system of internal controls and specific sanctions for non-compliance. BISD does not have sufficient controls in place to ensure compliance with state purchasing laws. Several breaches of board policy and state law have occurred in 2001 and 2002. For example, in 2001, district staff discovered that BISD's insurance policies were not being bid as required by state law and that the purchase of $1.8 million of insurance coverage in 2001 was not approved by the school board as is required by district policy. As a result of allegations of failures to follow purchasing policies, the district has been investigated for its procurement practices by several entities. By instituting a system of internal controls and sanctions for non-compliance, the district can prevent purchasing irregularities or identify them when they occur so that immediate action can be taken.

Automate the requisition process and streamline the process required for purchase order approval. The district's purchasing process is manual and results in delays in acquiring materials and services. Although the district's software has an automated purchasing feature, it is not being used. Some requisitions require as many as eight approvals before they are processed. By automating the process and revising the approval process, BISD can reduce the amount of time and effort required to process purchase requisitions while still maintaining strict control over the function.

Reorganize the Purchasing Department. The department is overstaffed compared to peer districts and is not appropriately staffed or trained. Job descriptions do not require purchasing certifications and previous job-related experience requirements are inadequate. In addition, department staff are not provided adequate purchasing-related training. By training staff appropriately and reducing excess staff, the department not only can save more than $145,000 annually, but also can improve efficiency and service to all BISD departments.

Reorganize the Management Structure to Focus on Instruction

Rename the position of assistant superintendent for Administrative Services to assistant superintendent for Auxiliary Services and reassign the functional responsibilities of the area superintendents. BISD's area superintendents have responsibilities and assignments that are not compatible with their main goal of providing oversight of the education process at campuses. Individual area superintendents have districtwide responsibilities in addition to their cluster schools such as responsibilities for warehouse, textbooks, fixed assets, Food Services, Transportation, Health Services, Records Management, Athletics, PEIMS and Student Accounting. Some of the area superintendents are responsible for functions which they may not be trained to manage. The proposed reorganization will free area superintendents to focus on their key responsibilities of supporting the schools in their cluster.

Reorganize the division of Curriculum and Instruction by adding a Support Services position and reassigning responsibilities to reflect a more logical grouping of functions. The Curriculum and Instruction administration is not organized effectively to support direction and oversight to educational programs and positions. Many positions and their functions are organized in a manner that impedes the curriculum and instruction processes so important for student achievements. The fragmenting of programs such as counseling, library/media services, health services and special education makes communications and coordination of program efforts difficult. Guidance and counseling, library/media services, health services and special education need better centralized coordination. By reorganizing the curriculum and instruction functions so that related activities and responsibilities are more closely aligned and adding a support services position, the district can provide better oversight and communications.

Reduce Overstaffing and Increase Personnel Qualifications

Use staffing allocation formulas to determine the number of positions within each department and eliminate excess positions. The number of clerical staff per campus is significantly higher than the industry standard, as is the number of assistant principals at most schools. According to industry standards, the district is overstaffed by 194.5 campus clerical positions and 44.5 assistant principals. The district also has 45 non-campus administrators or higher-level positions that are supported by 76 secretarial positions. By adopting allocation formulas and reducing clerical positions and assistant principals through attrition and reassignment, BISD will save more than $5.2 million annually and more equitably and efficiently distribute staff to each school.

Train security guards to become commissioned peace officers and reorganize the department. The BISD Police and Security Services Department does not staff commissioned peace officers at campuses or during the night shift. Campuses are served with security officers who have limited authority to deal with dangerous situations. In addition, when a school alarm goes off after hours, a patrolling security guard is sent to the school armed with only a pair of handcuffs and a flashlight. Commissioned officers have authority to make arrests if they see a felony or breach of the peace being committed in their presence as well as request and serve warrants for other crimes. By training existing security guards to be commissioned peace officers, the district will provide staff and students better security.

Use custodial staffing formulas to better allocate custodians. Although the district uses staffing formulas, they are not in line with industry standards and are not consistently followed. By adhering to its own district staffing formulas the district can reduce 31 positions through attrition and save $610,762 annually.

Improve the Budget and Operational Processes

Create a chief information officer position that reports directly to the superintendent and consolidate all technology related functions under this position. BISD's technology functions lacks leadership and the organizational structure does not lend itself to efficiency. The Instructional Technology Department reports to the assistant superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, the Computer Services Department administrator reports to the Area 3 superintendent while the PEIMS department reports to the Area 2 Superintendent. The divisions among information technology departments lead to unnecessary duplication in procedures between these sections. A chief information officer will provide leadership and consistency for all technology related functions and having this position directly report to the superintendent will ensure high-level support for technology districtwide.

Centralize personnel and human resources functions under a single Human Resources Department and eliminate excess staff. The structure of the Human Resources Department is inefficient and over staffed. The Human Resources functions are separated into two departments, certified and classified personnel. The Certified Personnel Department focuses on teachers, campus and central office administrators and other professional personnel while the Classified Personnel Department's efforts are focused on professional and auxiliary personnel. The Finance Department oversees employee benefits and the Curriculum and Instruction Department oversees professional development activities. In 2001-02, the 41 Human Resources employees supported 6,555.3 full time equivalent (FTE) employees, with a ratio of 159.9 district FTEs per Human Resources Department employee. By reorganizing the department, unifying all human resource functions under a single department, and eliminating excess staff, the district will operate a more efficient human resource operation and save more than $254,000 annually.

Improve the budget process and related reports to ensure adequate information is made available to the board. The board frequently approves deficit budgets without sufficient information to explain the reasons for the deficits. For each of the years from 1997-98 to 2002-03 the district's approved budgets included a deficit spending plan that averaged more than $17 million per year during the six-year period. The 2002-03 budget has a deficit of $26.4 million and neither the budget documents nor staff sufficiently explained what caused the deficit. Improved budget processes and related reports will provide the board with the information needed to better manage the district's financial resources.

Exemplary Programs and Practices

TSPR identified numerous "best practices" in BISD. Through commendations in each chapter, the report highlights BISD's model programs, operations and services provided by BISD administrators, teachers and staff. Other school districts throughout Texas are encouraged to examine these exemplary programs and services to see if they could be adapted to meet their local needs. TSPR's commendations include the following:

BISD has an effective Strategic Planning process that ensures goals and objectives are well developed and monitored. BISD develops a five-year Strategic Plan that is used to implement the district's mission, vision, goals and objectives. The plan has seven components including individual plans for community, curriculum, facilities, programs, staff development, staff recruitment and retention and technology. To develop and monitor the Strategic Plan, the district has formed a Strategic Planning team made up of parents, teachers and community members.

The district provides special education personnel and parents of students with disabilities extensive training opportunities. BISD offers its special education staff extensive training opportunities using internal staff, Region 1 personnel and providers on a local, state and national level. As part of BISD's goal to enhance communication and services provided to students, the district also encourages parents to attend local meetings, state conferences and accompany district staff to other districts. BISD pays registration and travel expenses for parents of special education students who attend conferences concerning their children's disabilities.

The Public Information Office uses cable television and radio stations to communicate district information. The district has an instructional television station, KBSD, which runs a bulletin board from 9:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. on weekdays and continuously on the weekends. Announcements for the bulletin board are created in the Public Information Office and forwarded to KBSD. If a department or school in the district wants to display information on the television station's bulletin board, the information is sent to the Public Information Office so that it can be included in the station's announcements. BISD also purchases radio spots to further communicate with the community.

BISD's Federal Programs Office staff display a commitment to volunteerism by volunteering one hour per week at one of the district's schools. The Federal Programs grants Federal Programs Office employees leave time each week, to participate in volunteer activities at campuses throughout the district. This allows the employees in the Federal Programs Office to "walk the talk." By volunteering, the employees are able to see first hand what goes on at the parent centers, the level of involvement at each center, as well as what is working and what needs improvement.

The Custodial Department uses a standardized scoring mechanism to periodically evaluate custodial operations at individual schools. BISD uses a custodial inspection process to evaluate and improve custodial performance. Unannounced twice a year, custodial inspections have been in place since 1994-95 and rate the schools against one another. District administration then uses this scoring mechanism to adjust custodial staffing and processes, as necessary.

BISD has implemented a comprehensive and effective fixed asset management system ensuring accurate accounting of fixed assets. BISD has a comprehensive and effective fixed asset management program including a detailed procedures manual widely distributed to schools and departments, which contains flowcharts for the procedures to be followed and copies of forms that must be completed. All fixed assets acquired by the district are first transferred to the property control clerk where they are tagged and recorded before being shipped to the school or department. Annual physical inventories are conducted and numerous reports are provided by the system to enable discrepancies to be reconciled. Much of the information contained in the manual is also posted and available on the district's Web site.

BISD has effectively controlled its textbooks losses. The district has taken several steps to control textbook losses including the development of a textbook procedures manual, an automated textbook inventory system to track textbooks by school and by student, procedures to handle the transfer of textbooks between schools, periodic audits of textbooks and an established policy for the collection of funds from parents when books are lost or damaged. Textbook losses in BISD have declined by 18.7 percent since 1996-97.

BISD has used TIF and E-Rate money for technology improvements. BISD has aggressively pursued grant funding to build its technology infrastructure. The district receives several types of state and federal grants related to technology including the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund (TIF) grant and a federal E-Rate discount. A federal grant available through the Telecommunications Act of 1996, E-Rate funding offers libraries and K-12 schools discounts of 20 to 90 percent on telecommunications services, Internet access and internal connections. From 1998-99 to 2001-02, the BISD spent more than $13 million in grant funding to build its technology infrastructure and improve the quality of technology equipment in the district.

BISD's Management by Objectives (MBO) committee represents initiatives to improve communication and resolve problems between the Transportation Department's management and staff members. The MBO is comprised of eight drivers, two monitors, one mechanic, one dispatcher and one administrative employee. The committee meets monthly and has fostered discussions about driver pay rates, salaries and a policy of route choices by seniority.

The Food Services Department has saved the district new construction funds by verifying that equipment is necessary in new cafeteria facilities. The district includes Food Services Department management in its pre-planning stages for construction of new schools. Enrollment projections and the type of school are taken into consideration when determining what type of equipment will be necessary for the department. The Food Services Department estimates that it has saved the district $50,000 per school by eliminating unnecessary equipment in the new facilities.

The Community Youth Development (CYD) program is a proactive district effort to reduce juvenile crime. The CYD program serves approximately 5,000 BISD students, age 17 or younger, and their families, residing in or attending school in a particular zip code area of Brownsville. These students and their families take part in the educational, recreational, after-school programs and leadership skill development activities offered by the program, in an effort to reduce delinquency and youth crimes.

Savings and Investment Requirements

Many TSPR's recommendations would result in savings and increased revenue that the district could use to improve classroom instruction. The savings opportunities identified in this report are conservative and should be considered minimums. Proposed investments of additional funds usually are related to increased efficiencies or savings, or improved productivity and effectiveness.

TSPR recommended 101 ways to save BISD more than $49.1 million in gross savings over a five-year period. Reinvestment opportunities will cost the district more than $8.2 million during the same period. Full implementation of all recommendations in this report could produce net savings of nearly $40.9 million by 2007-08.

Exhibit 3
Summary of Net Savings
TSPR Review of Brownsville Independent School District
Year Total
2003-04 Initial Annual Net Savings
2004-05 Additional Annual Net Savings
2005-06 Additional Annual Net Savings
2006-07 Additional Annual Net Savings
2007-08 Additional Annual Net Savings
One Time Net (Costs) Savings 		$7,757,110
$8,734,092
$9,583,370
$9,784,516
$9,779,463
($8,285,312)
TOTAL SAVINGS PROJECTED FOR 2003-2008 $40,869,580

A detailed list of costs and savings by recommendation appears in Exhibit 4. The page number for each recommendation is listed in the summary chart for reference purposes. Detailed implementation strategies, timelines and the estimates of fiscal impact follow each recommendation in this report. The implementation section associated with each recommendation highlights the actions necessary to achieve the proposed results. Some items should be implemented immediately, some over the next year or two and some over several years.

TSPR recommends the BISD board ask district administrators to review the recommendations, develop an implementation plan and monitor its progress. As always, TSPR staff is available to help implement proposals.